Striking students want further action
High schoowl students demanding action to prevent climate change feel they are being heard, but want more to be done.
Dozens of schoolchildren, with a sprinkling of older people mixed in, congregated and marched around Te Marae o Hine-the Square yesterday for the first school strike for climate event of the year, part of a nationwide movement calling for action to prevent climate change.
Schoolchildren held three strikes in 2019, before Covid-19 derailed efforts last year, but a new group of students have taken up the mantle.
A noisy throng set up near the Palmerston North City Council chambers, waving placards and attracting attention from passing motorists.
Banners included: ‘‘It’s getting hot on here’’, ‘‘Save our planet’’ and ‘‘We demand climate action’’.
One of the organisers, Gryffin Powell from Awatapu College, said climate change was important in Aotearoa.
He said students’ demands included phasing out the use of fossil fuels, investing in renewable energy and climate education.
‘‘We need to protect [the planet] and make sure we let the Government know what are the most important issues,’’ the 16-year-old said.
‘‘We just want people to know all over the country why students care about climate change.’’
He said young people felt like they had made a difference with the strikes, but they had to keep holding the Government to account so things kept improving.
‘‘We’re prepared to stick around as much as we need to.’’
Fellow organiser Grace Fakahau had been inspired to join the climate change movement because her grandmother’s grave in Tonga was at risk of being covered by rising seas.
‘‘With sea levels coming up it’s ruining the crops [in the Pacific islands] and people have to purchase food from New Zealand, which increases costs.’’
She said the schoolchildren were climate warriors and hoped people would listen to their message.
Palmerston North Boys’ High School student Aidan Vickers, 15, said students were taking the issue more seriously now.
‘‘The world is starting to disappear with flooding and icebergs melting.’’
He said older people were listening, but many were not taking the issue seriously.
Girls’ High students Maia Pou, 13, and Paige Edmonds were at their first climate strike and were brandishing a large placard which read: ‘‘We are acting as though our house is on fire because it is’’.
Paige said they wanted to spread awareness about climate change and hoped people would do something to help.
They said their friends felt the same way.